


Flowerboy

by komkommertijd



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Magic, First Love, Flowers, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-02-18 07:16:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21990346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/komkommertijd/pseuds/komkommertijd
Summary: Alex has always been fascinated by flowers.When he meets Lando, a boy who loves to stand in the sun and doesn't mind the dirt in his hair, he realizes that this summer is bound to be a magical one.
Relationships: Alexander Albon/Lando Norris, Kimi Räikkönen/Sebastian Vettel, Pierre Gasly/Charles Leclerc
Comments: 24
Kudos: 36





	1. un.

Alex has always been fascinated by plants, or at least he couldn't remember a time in his life where he didn't adore the flowers around him. There was just something so pure and beautiful about them, delicate petals and vibrant colors, the smell of soil after the rain and freshly cut grass always lingering in the air. The way they blossomed after the cold winter, bringing life to the world and causing a pleasant buzzing in the air, attracting butterflies and bees and all kinds of strange-looking bugs. When he was little, his grandmother gave one of her classification guides to him, an old and worn looking booking, smelling just the way old books were supposed to smell. It was filled with all kinds of herbs and colorful grass and it took him only a few weeks until he memorized all the names and facts, annoying his father with his knowledge whenever they walked past the familiar colorful plants. When he first started elementary school, he got a flower press to support his growing interest in botany and soon the boy started collecting the various exciting creatures, but he quickly realized that he preferred nurturing them and watching them grow over killing them and drying them for his personal collection.

As he grew up he started helping his mother outside in the garden, picking out the seeds and deciding what should go where, figuring out the right location for the plants to get the right amount of sun and warmth. He helped to plant them, carefully digging holes in the soft soil, placing the saplings and seeds exactly where they needed to go. He watered them every day, caring for them more than some people did for their pets, and he was so proud of himself whenever one of the vegetables grew enough for them to eat, tasting a million times better from their own garden than from the supermarket, or when of the flowers would present their beautiful petals. There was nothing more pleasing than watching the tender green grow, filling his backyard with all kinds of different smells and colors.

When his grandmother died a few years later, Alex got to pick out flowers for her funeral. It was hard for him, losing the person who supported his passion the most, but because of that, he put an extra amount of thought into choosing the ones that would look pretty, some that had a deeper meaning to them and some that he knew his grandmother loved especially much. It looked a little weird at first, the colors not always matching perfectly and different intense smells mixing, but he explained his decision to the guests, his voice trembling and his fingers becoming sweaty around the microphone as he tried to appear confident, holding back tears of pain. The applause he earned for his speech made him feel proud and he really hoped his grandmother enjoyed his arrangement just as much, she would've smiled and praised Alex for his good work, telling him how smart and special he was. From then on he brought a different flower to her grave every year right before New Year's Eve, talking to her about his year and telling her about his chosen flower, just one at a time. After that, he always felt as if everything was alright for a while, the weight in his chest lifting and leaving him alone for the turn of the year.

A few years later and he finally held his diploma in his hands, the plain-looking paper holding such importance, representing the fruits of his labor, a plant he's been growing for the past twelve years. His mom bought a bouquet of flowers for him, bright and happy and perfect, struggling to explain the meanings and laughing when he corrected her. It was a nice gesture and it almost made him cry, realization hitting him when he held it in his hands, posing and smiling for a picture his dad was trying to take to show it to all the family members. He would leave home in just a few weeks, leaving everything he knew behind to continue growing by himself in a foreign place, hundreds of miles away from his safe haven. It was like moving a plant to a bigger pot so it could continue growing and reaching for the sun, standing on its own and blossoming after all the hard work and good care.

University was stressful at first, so many things and places he had never seen before, all the new influences at the new location and impressions he needed to process. He kept a succulent he brought with him on the windowsill and he felt the comfort it radiated whenever he looked at it, calming him down when he was stressed or anxious and giving him energy when he had to study late at night. His roommate teased him about it, making fun of the tiny plant in the brightly colored pot, but Alex didn't pay too much attention to his dumb comments, already used to reactions like this one. Over the time one succulent turned into five, then seven, until there was simply no space to keep more of them anymore, scattered all over the shelves, his desk and the window ledge, green dots bringing color to Alex's plain furniture. He took good care of them though and even gave some of them to his friends, the few he made over the course of his first months at university, who appreciated it way more than his ungrateful roommate.

He started working at the nearby flower shop as soon as he returned to school for the second semester, helping out in the cozy shop whenever he had a free afternoon. The owner of the flower shop, Sebastian, was fascinated by him ever since he stepped over the threshold for the first time, so when he asked if he could help out in his free time he was accepted right away. Alex also somehow felt adopted from then on, Seb always mothering him and taking care of him, providing him with lunch after the lectures and staying after closing the shop to help Alex with assignments and studying if he needed help. It was the first time he really felt at home after leaving his family to study abroad, comfortable and in an environment that benefitted him. The money he earned was just a bonus, enough to buy more plants and school supplies, sometimes even takeout dinner. 

His life was pretty normal if one ignored his obsession with plants, he was a normal university student with decent grades and a messed up sleep pattern, staying up until the rising sun shooed him to bed. He had his job that was basically just a hobby he got paid for and he had a roommate that thought he was weird, which was a mutual feeling, there wasn't too much interesting and exciting stuff going on in his life, it was really just school.

He decided to stay for the summer when his second semester was over, too burned out from his finals to book a flight back home, rather saving up some money to go back for Christmas the following year. Sebastian was way too excited about that, inviting him to stay with him since he had to move dorms after the break and couldn't stay the summer in his old one, plus living in a hotel was way too expensive. His husband was just as skeptic about the whole thing as Alex at first, but he took care of their guest just as much as Sebastian, just in his own way. Kimi was unrateable when they first met but they soon warmed up to each other, getting along just fine and feeling comfortable. Alex spent most of his days at the shop, taking care of the plants and the customers, greeting them with a kind smile and helping them to find the right flowers, which was something he was actually really good at and proud of in a way.

He didn't know that his life was about to change drastically though, when a mysterious guy stepped into the flower shop one evening, greeting him with his usual smile, holding some fresh roses in his hand and ignoring the water running down his arm to focus on the only customer present. He didn't notice the change in temperature at first until he felt goosebumps on his arms and some weird energy filling the room, thick and almost like electricity in the air.

"Good evening, Alexander."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to another one of my shenanigans!  
> I originally planned on posting this once I was done with my other ongoing fanfiction, but I decided I would be so kind and publish the first chapter already, consider it an extract if you want.  
> I hope it was somewhat enjoyable and made someone feel like keeping up with it, thank you so much for reading!
> 
> PS: English is not my first language, so I apologize for any mistakes.  
> PPS: Feedback is always greatly appreciated :)


	2. deux.

It felt incredibly weird when the stranger opened their mouth to speak, like a sharp knife cutting through the thick air. Alex suddenly found it hard to breathe and his smile almost faltered, but even though it was a really strange person he was talking to, there was no reason for him to be unkind. He never felt an energy like this one before though, radiating from the mysterious male like a dangerous wave that didn't fit the customer at all. His eyes wandered around the shop until they met Alex's, icy blue with brown and making the student shiver almost unnoticeable. His gaze seemed determined as if he knew exactly what he was looking for and it confused the young boy with the flowers in his hands so much that he needed a while before he felt able to speak, the invisible grip around his throat loosening barely enough for him to reply.

"Good evening, Sir. How may I help you today?" He was glad that his voice didn't fail him at that moment, the question being the only thing he could hold on to before his knees would give in and let him collapse. He couldn't remember when his hands started shaking, the soft rustling of rose petals the only indicator of the tremble in his fingers. Waiting for a reply felt like an almost unbearable task and the atmosphere never stopped shifting, making Alex's head dizzy and the blood slowly leave his head.

"You cannot help me in any way, Alexander. In fact, I came here to help you instead. You might not see the point behind our interaction yet, but I can assure you that we were destined to meet and the future holds good things for you. You were kind to the plants around you, right? I have heard about your skills and your nurturing hands. I came here to reward you for your efforts."

The confusion in Alex's head only continued to grow, as if the stranger's words were the water it needed to blossom and the student moved backward without even noticing it when the customer, or not-customer in this case apparently, approached him, taking a few steps until he was standing in front of Alex. He held out his hand and nodded when the other male looked at him with a questioning expression, urging him to put the roses away and hold out his hands, forming a cup with his digits to watch the stranger's fist open above it, releasing a weirdly cold little thing, feeling almost like a small rock in Alex's hand before he took a step back and giving the other one an approving nod. 

"You deserve happiness, Alexander. The same happiness you brought upon the plants and the people you fascinated with them. Only you can know what truly makes you happy, so think wisely before you act. You will figure it out, I believe in you."

And just like that the mysterious guy was gone, disappearing just as suddenly as he appeared just a few minutes ago and it made Alex feel as if it was all a dream, his imagination playing tricks on him after staying up late the night before when Kimi taught him how to play card games, or tried to at least. When he averted his eyes from the door, away from the spot that was previously occupied by the stranger, his gaze landed back on his own hands, slightly dirty from the long day of work, the careful touches and arrangements f flowers tiring his fingers. 

Right there on his palm laid a seed, prettier than any other he ever saw before, a warm brown with orange swirls that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight drawing him in and demanding all his attention. It felt as if he was holding a precious treasure and he couldn't quite understand what the stranger meant when he said it would bring him happiness. It was probably the happiness that came from watching a plant grow, seeing his hard work paying off by presenting soft green petals and growing from a small sapling to a unique little plant, almost like a child, the contentness and pride one felt when the plant finally started to blossom or even grow fruits. 

The weird atmosphere was gone now, the summer heat returning to the flower shop and the soft noise of cars and talking people passing by filling up the room and Alex could finally breathe freely again. He gently shook his head to clear his thoughts, suddenly remembering the roses he put down earlier and he decided to put the seed into his pocket, carefully wrapping it in a tissue before he returned to his work, cutting off the thorns and the stems of the roses if they were too long, picking out the right decoration for a nice bouquet and arranging it with skilled hands.

When Alex returned home, or to the place he would call his home for the next weeks, he felt worn out and tired, hiding away in his bedroom as soon as he got the chance to escape Sebastian's questions. He dropped his bag on the desk chair before he let his body fall onto the soft mattress of his bed, sighing quietly as he stared at the ceiling. His mind was still working, trying to figure out what has happened earlier. His hand wanders down to the pocket of his pants, finding the softer material of the tissue peaking out of it and pulling until he held the little seed in his hands, holding it up to see it in the golden light of the setting sun. Alex frowned when he remembered the words the mysterious stranger said earlier.

He deserved happiness.

Was there someone who didn't deserve happiness? And more importantly, wasn't he happy already? He had the best part-time job he could ask for, he studied architecture at the university he always dreamt of attending and he had Sebastian and Kimito support him when his family was too far away. He had his plants. He had Pierre, he only really thought of him when his phone's screen lit up in the side pocket of his bag, signaling that his friend probably sent another meme. Alex never had a lot of friends but he was not upset about it, always more comfortable in small groups anyways, and when he moved away from home to go to uni Pierre was the only one who seemed nice enough to talk to. On his first day, Alex had to ask him how to get to his lecture and the other one laughed, explaining that he also majored in architecture and dragged Alex across campus. 

They ended up exchanging numbers and somehow that was enough for Alex, considering that he talked to a lot of customers each and every day and never craved human contact that way. They hang out together a lot, doing homework and talking about everything they could think of. At some point Pierre introduced Alex to his boyfriend, an Arts Major named Charles who was just as nice as his partner and became part of their little group without anyone giving it a second thought. In the warmer months, they usually sat outside in the shade of the trees, Charles quietly drawing in his sketchbook while Alex and Pierre discussed numbers and equations. It was nice and to Alex, it was enough.

Though maybe that was the kind of happiness he deserved, love. He had love in so many ways, the love his current hosts had for him, the love between him and his friends, the love he held of his plants. But not _love_ love. He didn't need it, he was fine, but of course, he sometimes wanted someone to look at him the way Pierre looked at Charles, someone who would wrap their arms around him and hold him longer than friends did. Sometimes he wanted someone he could make an effort for, someone to share his thoughts and his life with.

He didn't need a romantic partner to be happy and he was well aware that this kind of mindset wouldn't be healthy anyway, maybe he just deserved a best friend. Sure, Pierre and Charles were great but Alex never felt that certain connection only best friends had. He never had a friend like that, a friend that was so close to him, a friend he could tell all his worries and secrets to. Maybe he deserved someone to walk across campus with him and people would look at them and immediately know that _ah, they are best friends_.

A thunder snapped him out of his thoughts, growling in the sky and filling the usually quiet neighborhood with noise. He heard Sebastian calling his name. Alex sighed and rolled off the bed, gently placing the seed on the desk and replying to Pierre's text, it was a meme indeed, before disappearing out of his room, making his way down the stairs and smiling softly at the smell of food. He had learned pretty quickly that Kimi was an amazing cook and dinner soon became his favorite meal of the day, something he looked forward to from the first moment he opened his eyes in the morning. 

When they sat down at the table and talked about the day, it was mostly Seb talking if he was being honest, Alex decided to keep quiet about the weird incident, only mentioning that he received a seed when he asked Sebastian for a flower pot. Dinner was nothing too spectacular besides that and Alex helped to clean the table and do the dishes afterward, being the polite guest he was. 

The thunderstorm only developed into a full-blown one when Alex was on his way to bed, the seed safely placed in an old flower pot, embraced by wet soil. Sebastian has joked about the ugly pot before, explaining that he never used it for the bright papaya color didn't fit any of the other pots and stood out too much. Alex liked it, placing it on his desk instead of the window sill so he could see it from the bed when his head rested on the pillow, the blanket loosely wrapped around his hips. He felt content and happy, not at all bothered by the dangerous growls of thunder outside, watching the seed in the flashing light while he tried to fall asleep.

He didn't know how that little plant was supposed to help him find happiness, but there was no point in questioning it. Alex was well aware of the fact that he had to wait in order to find out, the stranger would probably not return. Maybe this little flower would help him to find a friend, any kind of love that added something good to his life.

He really wanted a friend.

It was his last thought before the even drumming of raindrops against his window lulled Alex to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh.  
> Hi?  
> It's been a while but after getting my ass kicked by school (I should be reading Faust instead of posting this oh no) I hope I can update this more often now.  
> Thank you for your patience, I hope this chapter was enough of an apology (although I am not completely happy with it whoops).  
> I will (hopefully) see you soon with the next chapter and until then I wish you all a good time :)


	3. trois.

Alex was running late.

He had no clue how he managed to oversleep and it was a riddle why Sebastian didn't come in to look for him at some point. He swore quietly, trying to get out of his bed without tripping over his blanket and getting dressed in a hurry. Alex was on his way out of his room, his shirt barely pulled over his head when his eyes landed on the flowerpot. 

There was no way he could simply water it later when he returned from work, it would irk him the whole day and make him weirdly uncomfortable. It was worse than not washing his hands with soap, the oddly dirty feeling more bearable than this higher level of guilt. It was the only thing occupying his brain when he brushed his teeth, hurrying through his morning routine as fast as he could. He decided to give up on his hair after five minutes of desperately running his fingers through it, instead, he ran down the stairs, throwing a bagel into the toaster before he made his way back upstairs, watering the seed and his other plants, grabbing his backpack from the desk chair. He stopped for a second, his eyes going wide.

The seed was gone.

Well technically it was not exactly gone, but instead of it, there was a tiny green sapling craning its neck in the wet soil. Alex blinked a few times, not able to process what he was seeing. Never ever had he seen a plant grow at that speed before. Maybe that was the special thing about this plant after all. It made impatient people happy, growing fast and giving them the impression that they accomplished something. But the stranger seemed to know Alex somehow, he knew that the student was actually capable of caring for the fragile creatures. Some things still didn't make sense.

He was only able to finally tear his eyes away when the toaster made a noise to inform him the bagel was done. Alex suddenly didn't feel hungry anymore, yet he sighed and closed the door on his way downstairs. His breakfast was nothing special and he would feel bad about raiding Sebastian's fridge, even if he was allowed to do so. Instead, he just ate his bagel, washing it down with some orange juice. Since Alex was already running late, he decided to take the bus, quietly watching the strangers around him. It was still not too warm outside, last night's rain cooling down the city a bit and the summer heat not present yet. It felt good to be outside and do something instead of spending his summer break lying in bed, Alex decided.

His workday was not too special, the usual bright smiles and polite questions towards the customers never changed. He arranged a few bouquets, rearranged the flowers in the shop and switched out the water, all while chatting with Sebastian about everything they could come up with. Even now he didn't feel like talking about the happenings of the past evening, still a little too confused to explain it to someone else. He kept nodding and humming whenever it seemed appropriate, his back turned to Sebastian behind the counter.

"Hey Alex, you will be home alone tonight, there's this party Kimi and I need to attend but I don't want to bother you with it. Will that be okay? You're old enough to make your own food and I'm sure there are some leftovers in the fridge as well."

Alex just nodded once more, finally turning around to face Sebastian. The shopowner was looking at him, the question still hanging between them in the room. Alex wasn't really comfortable with being left alone at someone else's house for a longer time span, it wasn't like he would burn the house down but he knew that he would feel bad if something happened, no matter whether it was his fault or not. 

„Don't worry, we will be back in the morning and I trust you not to do anything stupid. You will do just fine“, was not enough reassurance for Alex, but he managed to flash a smile in order to not alarm Sebastian. He was old enough, he could deal with being left alone in a house that wasn't his for one night. There was no reason to panic.

Sebastian left earlier than Alex like always and how different could being alone at home be from taking care of a shop? He continued his work, wiping the counter and cleaning the floor in the shop. He enjoyed his job and cleaning was part of it, so he did it without complaining about it. The time went by faster than he noticed. Closing the shop was something Alex often felt anxious about. What if he didn't lock the doors properly? What if he forgot to turn the light off? 

He did turn the light off and checked twice whether the door was locked properly. He dragged the hood of his jacket into his face when the first raindrops hit the concrete of the sidewalk on his way to the bus stop.

The house was quiet when he returned, no music coming from the kitchen accompanied by the smell of fresh food. He turned the light on and dropped his keys on the dresser next to the door. It was his night, so Alex decided to reheat the dinner from the night before and watch Star Wars in the living room. The rain pattered against the windows and he snuggled with the blanket on the sofa.

The doorbell rang and made him stop in his tracks. He frowned, he wasn't expecting anyone and Sebastian didn't say anything about anyone coming over, but he got up and unlocked the door anyways. He hesitated for a second before he pressed down the handle and opened the front door, looking right at-

A young male, maybe around his age. He was drenched from the rain, shivering and looking a little confused. He had mud on his nose, his hair sticking to his forehead and his arms wrapped around himself. Alex felt bad at the sight in front of him but neither of them dared to speak up, so they just awkwardly stared at each other and kept quiet.

"Uh, can I help you?"

"Where are we? I don't know this place. Can I come in? I will drown if I stay outside for long."

Alex just nodded and left to get a towel and some of his clothes for the stranger to wear after telling him about his current location. When he was just about to leave his room, he stopped at the door.

The sapling was gone. Not gone like the seed before but gone completely, the flowerpot was empty. There was a weird feeling spreading through his chest but the guy downstairs needed him more right now than some plant. Luckily he was smaller than Alex, so the clothes fit him more or less. He lead him to the couch and handed him the blanket so he would stop shivering. The movie was still playing in the background when Alex heated up some more food and it was the only noise filling the house. 

When Alex returned to the living room with a hot plate in his hands, the stranger was curled up on the couch, the towel draped across his wet hair and the blanket resting around his shoulders. He looked so much softer now, tired and exhausted after a long day and his eyes were glued to the tv screen.

"So, what's your name?", Alex asked, carefully placing the plate in front of the stranger, who sat back up and quietly thanked his host for the food. He looked quite hungry and munched on some pasta before he replied.

"Lando."

"Lando? Like Lando Calrissian from the movie?"

Lando simply nodded, shoving another bite into his mouth. What a weird coincidence. Alex didn't comment on it and introduced himself before getting up to grab himself something to drink while also putting his empty plate into the dishwasher. Lando kindly declined when Alex asked whether he wanted something to drink as well, repeating his comment about drowning. 

He seemed oddly familiar for some reason but Alex brushed it off as a weird feeling. He was pretty sure he would know if he ever met Lando before. It was hard not to stare at him, his blue eyes still focussed on the movie and a soft strand of brown hair hanging in his face, not quite dry yet but curling lightly on top of his skin. He looked like he spent a lot of time outside in the sun, a healthy glow gracing his skin. Alex found it hard to look away.

They watched the rest of the movie in silence, both of them distracted by their own thoughts, and when the credits were rolling, Lando yawned. Alex cleaned up the living room before showing Lando the way to his bathroom so he could get ready for bed, finding a spare toothbrush in a cupboard. He got ready for bed after Lando as well, staring at his own reflection in the mirror while brushing his teeth. He thought about the strange evening, about the mysterious stranger, and about the sapling that went missing. 

Sharing a bed with Lando was less awkward than anticipated, considering that they didn't know each other, but there was enough space and he couldn't really let him sleep on the couch in a living room that wasn't his. He had to admit that Lando looked kind of cute in his shirt, rolled into the blanket and snoring softly. Alex decided that watching him sleep was probably a little creepy at some point, so he set an alarm for the next morning before trying to fall asleep too.

There were a million thoughts and questions running through his mind at the same time, making it impossible to fall asleep. He felt as if he laid awake for hours, staring at the ceiling without coming to a conclusion that would grant his mind some peace.

Only when Lando rolled over and snuggled into his side did his head quiet down, the noise drowned out by the frantic beating of his heart. The fluttery feeling in his stomach was weird and nothing he had ever experienced before, but he didn't dislike it at all.

Being this close to Lando calmed him in a very odd way, luring him in and making him feel at ease, allowing him some peace until the morning came with new questions and clarity about feelings and certain situations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still alive, woohoo.  
> I am incredibly sorry for taking so long to update this, but there are so many things I want to fix before posting this every time, which kind of drags on forever and I never get around to actually posting.  
> Here we go, it's Lando time! I hope this made sense because I might cry if it doesn't.  
> As always, thanks a million for reading this, I really appreciate the support :)  
> I will see you soon (hopefully)!


	4. quatre.

Alex woke up to the smell of fresh coffee and scrambled eggs wavering through the house and soft rays of sunlight filtering through the thin curtains. It was warm and cozy and he really didn't want to get up, the heat surrounding his body luring him in and making him stay. He hadn't felt the warmth of another body next to his since last winter when Pierre stayed over for a movie night and fell asleep next to him in the tiny dorm room, so he instinctively moved closer to enjoy it while it lasted.

It took him a while to fully wake up, but when he did, he noticed the weight of Lando's head against his shoulder, the air he still exhaled evenly puffing against the exposed skin of Alex's arm where the sleeve of his white t-shirt ended. He looked peaceful like this, his hair messed up and his features relaxed and Alex looked away before his staring could be considered creepy. He ignored the weird feeling in his stomach.

Detaching himself from Lando was a little difficult, with one of Lando's arms wrapped around his stomach. Somehow Alex managed to remove the heavy limb and he slipped out of bed before he could regret it. The air in the room felt cool against his heated skin when he tiptoed around to pick out some fresh clothes. He risked another look at Lando, who was still fast asleep on the pillow, almost looking like an angel tangled in the crisp white sheets, and decided to lay some clothes out for him as well, figuring that he wouldn't need the warm clothes from last night.

When he made his way downstairs after getting ready for the day, he could make out the familiar voices of Sebastian and Kimi talking in the kitchen and he stopped dead in his tracks, on the stairs, when he realized what that meant. There was a stranger sleeping in the bed that wasn't his in a house he didn't actually live in and God, he let a stranger into Sebastian's house. He swallowed heavily before he walked down the last few stairs and entered the kitchen.

He was met with silence, both Kimi and Sebastian looking at him expectantly. Alex didn't say much other than a mumbled „good morning“ before he fished a slice of toast out of the toaster and rummaged around the cupboards to find a plate and a mug. Sebastian wordlessly handed him the coffee and only when they sat down for breakfast did they actually talk about what was going on.

"So, who's that boy?"

"When did you-"

"We checked on you when we came home last night," Kimi interrupted his question before he was even finished and reached for the pan to get some of the egg on his plate before Sebastian ate it all. Alex took a sip of his coffee, the hot liquid soothing him while also waking him up so he could properly think about this. The conversation felt like it was bound to be an awkward one.

"His name is Lando. He came by last night and asked where we are. He was soaked because of the rain so I let him inside to warm up and he stayed the night. That's all," he replied then, shrugging before taking a bite of his toast, the strawberry jam sticking to his lip. Alex wiped it off and chewed his breakfast while he watched Kimi and Sebastian exchanging some looks. They were doing their weird communication without words again and Alex wasn't jealous that they could understand each other without even saying anything, but it did get annoying sometimes. Especially if it was about him – he suspected it was more often about him than he noticed.

Sebastian dropped the topic for a while and Alex almost felt at peace until Lando came into the kitchen and sat down next to him, shyly greeting Kimi and Sebastian, who reacted surprisingly well and smiled at the stranger, greeting him kindly and asking whether he wanted coffee.

Lando drank tea in the end, not coffee. He didn't even look at the scrambled eggs. Alex never even asked whether Lando had a special diet, but he avoided the butter and only put jam on his toast, so Alex made a mental note to ask later. He barely knew anything about Lando, who was slowly warming up to the house owners, talking to Seb about biology, and happily munching on his toast.

It filled Alex's stomach with warmth somehow, additional to the coffee. He chose to ignore it and reached for another slice of toast, just to be met with a judging glance from Kimi. To normal people, Kimi probably always looked like he was judging them, but Alex had learned to see the difference over the past weeks, so he just shook his head gently in return and grabbed the toast.

Sebastian left for work after breakfast but since it was the weekend, Alex was allowed to stay at home. Having Lando around just made that all a bit more difficult. They spent some time outside in the garden, Alex with a book in his hand and sitting underneath the tree that offered him shade while Lando was looking at the flowers and annoying the butterflies, and they didn't talk much but the silence between them felt oddly soothing, not awkward and uncomfortable as it should be, they were strangers after all.

There was just something about Lando that made Alex feel things, things he couldn't really understand and things he would much rather ignore. They didn't know each other, he shouldn't feel any of it. 

Lando was wearing one of Alex's blue t-shirts that was way too big for him now, the sleeves reaching his elbows and he looked so much smaller than he already was in it as he wandered around the garden to search for bumblebees and bugs. His hair looked less messy than it did in the morning, curling softly on his forehead when a soft breeze ruffled through it and his eyes shone so brightly with excitement that Alex could see it from where he was sitting.

Looking at Lando felt a bit ethereal, Alex had no real explanation for that.

They went to the city in the afternoon so Lando could get a better idea of where he was and to eat some ice cream on their way. They settle for sorbet ice cream, Alex figured he couldn't go wrong with frozen pureed fruits, water and sugar, and Lando looked happy when they walked down the street, eating his sorbet and looking at the things Alex told him about.

It was so easy to be normal and himself around Lando, despite not really knowing him for long.

In the end, they sat down in a park, neither of them caring about turning Alex's pants green with grass stains. Lando let his fingers run through the soft green, a content smile appearing on his face. The sunlight made its way through the canopy of leaves above them and the way gold mixed with brown on top of Lando's head, his bright eyes shining in the afternoon glow- Alex couldn't look away even if he would've tried. 

They walked a lot that day and Lando already appeared sleepy when they finally reached the bus stop, so it really wasn't a miracle when he fell asleep on Alex's shoulder as soon as their bus started moving, the gentle rocking motion making it hard to stay awake. And again Alex wondered why it all felt so familiar and natural. Lando was a stranger, normally he wasn't that cool with a stranger sleeping on his shoulder on the bus.

Lando stayed until Sunday after Sebastian insisted on being nice with a suggestive eyebrow waggle in Alex's direction who mentally facepalmed himself before dragging Lando away from their crazy host, only returning downstairs for dinner and a movie. Watching movies with Sebastian, Kimi and Lando felt oddly domestic and Alex's heart weirdly skipped a beat when Lando moved closer to him underneath their shared blanket. It was summer, way too warm for a blanket anyway but who was Alex to complain. He could get used to the fuzzy feeling in his stomach.

"Do you believe in magic?" Lando asked the next day when they were laying outside in the garden. Alex found out that Lando particularly enjoyed spending time in the sun, though he had yet to figure out the reason. He moved his head to look over at the other boy, who was still facing the sun with his eyes closed and features relaxed. He wasn't even wearing sunglasses. Alex squinted behind his own and thought about the question.

"It depends on what kind of magic, I think."

"What do you mean by that?" Lando wanted to know, still bathing in the warm afternoon glow of the sun.

"Just- The kind with casting spells and stuff like that, I don't believe in it. It just seems too unreal, right? But everyday magic? I think that's a thing. If not, then it should be. I'm sure it exists."

"Everyday magic?"

"Like, I don't know, thunderstorms in summer afternoons, for example. Before they arrive, the air has this very distinct smell, like you know that there's a thunderstorm coming. Or that feeling when it's really quiet in the house when there's no noise around you and you just sit there and enjoy it and suddenly the fridge turns off when you haven't realized that it was still humming and then you actually have the silence you were happy about before."

Lando hummed and Alex watched a tiny smile form on his face. It felt a bit like magic too, the way Lando looked so at ease, with his eyes shut and the sun and wind playing with his hair, the straws of grass stroking his cheeks. He looked so much like he belonged just there, outside in nature, like he was part of this entirely different world Alex wasn't used to. Lando looked like someone who could truly understand Alex.

There's magic in meeting certain people as well and in the way they make you feel, he thought but didn't dare to say it out loud, too scared of ruining their current mood that way. Lando continued humming, uncaring and so relaxed.

"I think that kind of magic sounds cool."

Alex didn't know why he laughed but it felt freeing, the way it bubbled up in his chest. It made him feel warm, the by now so familiar kind of warmth he seemed to only feel around Lando spreading through his chest and into every fiber of his being. 

"I want to believe in magic, too. I think- there are no coincidences in life. Everything happens for a reason."

Alex nodded and sat up on the lawn. He agreed with Lando in that point, how could he not? He felt that way too, that everything always happened because it was meant to be like that. Sometimes it reunited people, or it taught through mistakes and unhappy fate. But everything had a reason to happen the way it did.

"I felt that way when I first met you."

And suddenly Lando's smile was too bright and the sun was too warm on his skin and Alex felt as if breathing became too hard when Lando turned his head and looked up at Alex with that innocent glint in his blue eyes. Alex's stomach fluttered and his head began spinning with words and thoughts he couldn't voice and so many things crowding his head. And then, within a second, it was all gone again, like a wave washing over him.

"Me too," Alex croaked with his heart full and mind briskly empty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may have thought that I have forgotten about this fic but worry not, I just really lacked the energy to work on this for a while. During my week of media detox at the ocean, I suddenly found it again and finished this chapter, and additionally, I started working on the next one. I did some plotting to get back into the spirit and I really hope that it won't take forever for me to update this time - I am too concerned about the tone of this story changing too much the longer it takes me to continue writing it. We'll see how it works out in the end.
> 
> For now, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. Thank you for your patience and the support, it means everything to me <3


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